Human chorionic somatomammotropin and growth hormone gene expression in rat pituitary tumour cells is dependent on proximal promoter sequences.

Human placental chorionic somatomammotropin (hCS-A or hCS-B) and pituitary growth hormone (hGH-N) are related by structure and function. The hCS-A gene is expressed in rat pituitary tumour (GC) cells after gene transfer. Deletion of hCS-A 5'-flanking DNA reveals repressor activity upstream of nucleotide -132, and a region essential for expression in GC cells between nucleotides -94 and -61. The sequences in this region differ from the equivalent hGH-N gene DNA by one nucleotide, and include the binding site (-92 to -65) for a pituitary-specific factor (GHF-1), required for hGH-N expression in GC cells. Exchange of hGH-N with hCS-A gene DNA in this region maintains expression in GC cells. By contrast, modification of these sequences blocks expression. These data indicate that proximal promoter sequences, equivalent to those bound by GHF-1 on the hGH-N gene, are required for hCS-A expression in GC cells.     

MORTALITY OF SEA OTTERS IN PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND FOLLOWING THE EXXON VALDEZ OIL SPILL

Abstract: This paper presents an estimate of the total number of sea otters that died as a direct consequence of the oil spill that occurred when the T/V Exxon Valdez grounded in Prince William Sound, Alaska on 24 March 1989. We compared sea otter counts conducted from small boats throughout the Sound during the summers of 1984 and 1985 to counts made after the spill during the summer of 1989. We used ratio estimators, corrected for sighting probability, to calculate otter densities and population estimates for portions of the Sound affected by the oil spill. We estimated the otter population in the portion of Prince William Sound affected by the oil was 6,546 at the time of the spill and that the post-spill population in the summer of 1989 was 3,898, yielding a loss estimate of approximately 2,650. Bootstrapping techniques were used to approximate confidence limits on the loss estimate of about 500–5,000 otters. The wide confidence limits are a result of the complex scheme required to estimate losses and limitations of the data. Despite the uncertainty of the loss estimate it is clear that a significant fraction of the otters in the spill zone survived. We observed otters persisting in relatively clean embayments throughout the oil spill zone suggesting that the highly convoluted coastline of Prince William Sound produced refuges that allowed some sea otters in the oil spill area to survive.     

Der Atmungsverlauf alternder Blätter und reifender Früchte

Zusammenfassung Die charakteristischen Züge der Atmung von reifenden Früchten werden beschrieben. Bei Blättern in der Entwicklungsperiode vor dem Laubfall konnte ein Atmungsverlauf festgestellt werden, der demjenigen reifender Früchte in wesentlichen Teilen entspricht. Das Phänomen des climacteric rise bei Früchten und Blättern wird verglichen. Es wird hervorgehoben, daß ein klimakterischer Atmungsanstieg nicht allein bei Früchten, die auf dem Lager reifen, sondern ebenso während der Baumreife auftritt. Die für die Reifungsatmung kennzeichnende Atmungskurve ergibt sich auch dann, wenn man die Atmungsintensität nicht wie üblich auf das Frischgewicht, sondern auf die Zahl der Früchte (bzw. auf die Blattfläche) bezieht. Der Anstieg der Atmungsintensität fällt bei Holunderfrüchten undParthenocissus-Blättern mit der Ausbildung der Anthocyanfarbstoffe zusammen. Während bei der Fruchtreifung der R Q häufig Werte über 1 erreicht, steigt der Quotient bei Blättern im Verlauf der Laubverfärbung nicht an. Neuere Vorstellungen über die Ursachen des climacteric rise werden diskutiert.Mit 5 Textabbildungen.Herrn Prof.M. Thomas, F. R. S., Newcastle-upon-Tyne, und Herrn Prof. Dr.K. Paech, Tübingen, möchte ich für Anregungen und Hinweise zu dieser Arbeit aufrichtig danken.     

In situ nick translation of human chromosomes using Alu I: unmasking of recognition sites by proteinase K pretreatment

Human chromosomes prepared according to routine methods were treated with the restriction endonuclease Alu I followed by staining with Giemsa solution or fluorescent dyes. This procedure results in a C-band-like appearance of the chromosomes due to removal of DNA from euchromatic chromosomal regions. The resistance of heterochromatic regions against cleavage by the enzyme has mainly been interpreted by the absence or rareness of recognition sites for this particular enzyme in these regions. Proteinase K pretreatment followed by a nick translation procedure with Alu I was combined to check this hypothesis. The results show that heterochromatic chromosomal regions can also be labelled. Thus, they are not characterized by a lack of recognition sites. Gradual deproteinisation of chromosomes changes the labelling pattern from a reverse C-banding pattern to a C-band-like appearance. The resistance of heterochromatic chromosomal parts revealed by the technique is mainly due to local chromatin configuration rather than to the underlying DNA sequence itself.     

Verwertung von Fructose durch Hydrogenomonas H16 (I.)

Zusammenfassung Die Hydrogenomonas-Stämme H 1, H 16 und H 20 nutzen als einziges Kohlenhydrat Fructose; chemolithotroph gewachsene Zellen des Stammes H 16 oxydieren diesen Zucker nach einer lag-Phase von 20 min.Die Fructose wird über den Entner-Doudoroff-Weg umgesetzt; während der Adaptation erhöht sich der Gehalt der Zellen an Phosphoglucose-Isomerase, Glucose-6-phosphat-Dehydrogenase und an den für den Entner-Doudoroff-Weg charakteristischen Enzymen.Die Aktivität der Ribulosediphosphat-Carboxylase geht bei der Adaptation an Fructose innerhalb von 2 Std um 75% zurück, sinkt dann aber während mehrerer Fructose-Passagen nur langsam ab. Folglich kann selbst mit Fructose gewachsener Hydrogenomonas H 16 Kohlendioxyd über den Calvin-Cyclus fixieren.

---

Summary The only carbohydrate utilized by Hydrogenomonas strains H 1, H 16 and H 20 is fructose; chemolithotrophically grown cells of strain H 16 oxidize this sugar following a lag-period of 20 min. Fructose is metabolized via the Entner-Doudoroff-pathway. During the adaptation to fructose, the level of the following enzymes increases in the cells: phosphoglucoseisomerase, glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase and the enzymes characteristic of the Entner-Doudoroff-pathway.During the change from chemolithotrophic to organotrophic growth, with fructose serving as a substrate, the activity of ribulose-diphosphate carboxylase is reduced by 75% within 2 hrs. However, following repeated growth in a fructose medium, this enzyme activity decreases only very slowly. Consequently fructose-grown Hydrogenomonas H 16 is capable of fixing carbon dioxide via the Calvin cycle.

     

Miro: A molecular switch at the center of mitochondrial regulation

The orchestration of mitochondria within the cell represents a critical aspect of cell biology. At the center of this process is the outer mitochondrial membrane protein, Miro. Miro coordinates diverse cellular processes by regulating connections between organelles and the cytoskeleton that range from mediating contacts between the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria to the regulation of both actin and microtubule motor proteins. Recently, a number of cell biological, biochemical, and protein structure studies have helped to characterize the myriad roles played by Miro. In addition to answering questions regarding Miro's function, these studies have opened the door to new avenues in the study of Miro in the cell. This review will focus on summarizing recent findings for Miro's structure, function, and activity while highlighting key questions that remain unanswered.